Saturday, November 21, 2009 Melbourne Trip from 14 Nov 09~19 Nov 09
I'm back from Melbourne! Really enjoyed myself during the trip. People lead a slow pace of life there & the weather there fluctuates (it can be very cold or hot at times). As promised, I bought chocolate for BBG! I also bought quite a number of sovenirs especially storybooks. Haha. =) They were sold very cheaply there & some were not even sold in SG yet. I shall tell you more about my trip! ;D
Day 1
My vacation began with a pleasant night flight to Melbourne, garden city of Australia. *yay*
Day 2
Upon arrival, we went on Melbourne city tour which included: St Patrick Cathedral, Federation Square, Cook's Cottage (outlook), Chinatown, Town Hall, Arts Centre, Shrine of Remembrance & Yarra River. Next, we had our Chinese lunch at Dragon Boat (this is not the boat but the name of the restaurant) on Yarra. Then, we travelled to Philip Island, which was a 2 hour drive from the city. We visited the Philip Island Chocolate Factory & Panny's Amazing World of Chocolate. We saw the world's largest chocolate waterfall, a chocolate art gallery & a 'chocolate village'. We then strolled through the historic buildings & the working farm, met the farm animals & enjoyed the spectacular bay views of the Churchill Island. We visited the Koala Conservation Centre for a unique ecotourism experience. We came 'face-to-face' with wild koalas in their natural habitat from treetop boardwalks, & learnt more about these amazing mammals at the Visitors Centre. Next, we had our Chinese dinner at Wing Ho Chinese Restaurant. Finally, we end the day with the famous penguin parade on the beaach as the fairy penguins return from feeding at the sea, wobbling their way through the burrows.
Day 3
We travelled to Mornington Peninsula & start the day with a visit to the award winning Australian Garden which highlighted the beauty & diversity of Australian landscape. We proceeded to visit the Sunny Ridge Strawberry Farm, Australia's largest strawberry producer. We picked our own strawberries directly from the fields & enjoyed a strawberry ice-cream. Next, we stop at a winery for some wine-tasting (I'm underaged so didnt taste). We then had our western lunch at Rye Hotel. Lastly, we went onboard a dolphin-watch cruise to see the marine life living just off the Mornington Peninsula coast before returning back to Melbourne.
Day 4
We start the day with a shopping stop at Queen Victoria Market. It is more than just Melbourne's shopping mecca, this 19th century market is also a historic landmark illustrating the variety of Melbourne culture through its produce while maintaining a vibrant sense of how a 19th century market functioned. We proceeded to Eureka Tower- world's tallest residential tower. The skydeck is situated on the 88th floor & is the highest public vantage point in the Southern Hemisphere. We then had our Chinese lunch at Shark Fin House. Lastly, we end the day with a shopping stop at Chadstone Mall, Australia's premier retail & entertainment destination, where international labels find a home away from home amongst the local brands.
Day 5
We were at leisure that day. We toured around the city by taking the tourist shuttle bus. All we did was shopping, shopping & shopping! =)
Day 6
We did some last minute shopping. After an unforgettable experience in Melbourne, we transferred to the airport for our evening flight home, with fond memories of our holiday!
Pictures will be posted in facebook. Bye! ;D
~Liyi~
written at 9:49 AM
